Coupling means



Aug. 23, 1960 D. K. con Em 2,950,021

COUPLING MEANS Filed Feb. 24, 1959 FIG. 3

INVENToR. DALE K. S C O 7' 7' CHA/Qt ES W; lli/LTER Z FIG.

ATTORNEY COUPLING MEANS Dale K. Scott, Atlanta, and Charles W. Walter,Gritin,

Ga., assignors to Southern States Equipment Corporation, a corporationof Georgia Filed Feb. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 795,206

3 Claims. (Cl. 220-23.4)

This invention relates to coupling means and more particularly toreadily disjointable coupling means especially adapted for-interconnecting a pair of sliver cans to form a train whereby movementof the cans within a textile mill as a group is facilitated.

Frequently sliver cans are moved from place to place Within the mill byan operator who simply slides the cans along the floor in groups ofseveral cans. Each group may comprise some four or tive cans. `If thecans are pulled rather than pushed, suitable coupling means must beemployed whereby a tr-ain of cans is formed. If the operator pushes thecans a suitable coupling is required which will effectively enable theoperator to guide the foremost cans by controlling the rear-most one ofthe train, particularly rwhere the cans are of the large wheel-mountedtype.

A principal object of the invention lis to provide coupling means forcoiler cans which is simple to connect and disconnect `and which alsoforms a disjointable coupling which is reliable and by which a guidingaction can be impar-ted to the train of cans when the cans are pushed.

The invention in one form comprises a latch having a couple formingportion and a couple free portion, the latch being movably mounted on asupport bracket secured to the upper rim of one coiler can. Securelyaffixed to the upper rim of another coiler can is a coupling bracketwhich is arranged to engage the couple forming portion of the latch toestablish a connection between the cans, this connect-ion being effectedvia the couple free portion of the latch which may disengage thecoupling bracket by simply passing through a couple free passage in thecoupling bracket.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to thefollowing description taken in conjunction Wi-th the drawings in whichFig. l is an exploded perspective view of one form of coupling bracketcomprising one feature of the inventionj Fig. 2 is an explodedperspective view showing both the latch and nited States Patent f2,950,021 Patented Aug. 23, 1960 associated can. As can best be seen inFig. V2 latch support 4 is provided with a pair of lspaced aperturedsupport elements 3 and 9. The aperture in support S is designated by thenumeral 10 whi-le the aperture in support element 9 is designated -bythe numeral 11.

Slidably mounted within the apertures 10 and 11 is Ithe 5latchdesignated by the numeral 12. As can best manner similar to the way inwhich the latch support its latch support which together constituteessential features of the invention; Fig. 3 is a side view of all theelements of the coupling means comprising the invention in assembledrelation and showing in cross-section fragmentary portions of two canscoupled together by the invention; Fig. 4 is a top view showingstructure similar to that depicted in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is la side View ofa clamp used to mount the elements comprising the essential features ofthe invention to the coiler cans; and in which Fig. 6 is a side view ofthe bracket depicted in Fig. 5.

As can best be seen in Figs. 1-3, two cans respectively designated bythe numerals 1 and 2 are coupled together by the coupling structuregenerally designated in Fig. 3 by the numeral 3. In Figs. l and 2 thecans 1 and 2 respectively are schematically depicted by the dotted linecircles. Aixed to the upper rim of can 2 is the latch support 4. Latchsupport 4 is secured to the upper rim be seen in Fig. 2, latch 12 isformed with a wide upper par-t 12A which is sometimes referred to as thecouple forming portion of the latch and in addition the latch 12 -isformed with the narrower lower part 12B which is sometimes referred toas the couple free portion of of the latch. Also as can best be seenfrom Fig. 2, the upper extremity of latch 12 is provided with outwardlyprojecting shoulder portions 13 which constitute stop elements forlimiting the downward travel of latch 12, the stops 13 being engagcablewith the upper surface of the support element 8. in like fashion theupper travel of latch 12 is limited by the stop 14 which may take theform of a rivet as is best seen in Fig. 3 iand which may engage thelower surface of support element 9.

Mounted ori can `1 adjacent the -upper rim thereof is the couplingbracket generally designated by the numeral 15. As can best be seen inFig. 1, the coupling bracket 1S is secured to the rim of can 1 bybrackets 5 in a 4 is secured -to the upper rim of can 2. Set screws 6 ofthe brackets 5 simply engage the recesses 16 formed at the ends ofcoupling bracket 1S and the brackets 5 frictionally engage the innersurface of can 1. As can best 4be seen in Fig. l, coupling bracket 1S isprovided with `a pair of spaced couple forming arms 1'7 and 18. Arm 17is provided with an inwardly inclined portion 19, while arm 18 isprovided with an inwardly inclined portion 20. The space between theinner ends of the inclined portions 19 and 20 of the spaced arms 17 and18 designated in Fig. 1 by the letter X is referred to sometimes hereinas a couple free passage, while the space enveloped between the baseportion of the coupling bracket 1S and the couple forming arms 17 and 18is sometimes referred to herein as ya couple forming portion and thearea in Fig. 1 Iis generally indicated by the letter Y.

When cans 1 and 2 are brought together with the couple forming arms 17and 18 of the coupling bracket 15 disposed between the support elements8 and 9 of the latch support 4 while latch 12 is elevated, the narrowportion of latch 12 designated 4at 12B passes through the couple freepassage designated by the letter X in Fig. l and into the couple formingpassage generally designated by the letter Y in Fig. 1. Thereafter thelatch 12 is allowed to fall downwardly by gravity so that the coupleforming portion 12A thereof moves down into the space Y and effectivelylocks the cans 1 and 2 together. It will be understood that due to therectangular shape of the area designated by the letter Y and due to therectangular cross-section of the couple forming portion 12A of the latch12 a secure coupling is established which enables the operator to guidethe foremost can by pushing the rearmost can.

Of course there would be eiective control should the operator exert apulling force on the forward can, it being obvious that such a forcewould not uncouple the cans. Furthermore, it is clear that in order -touncouple the cans the latch 12 is simply raised manually.

While we have shown and described a particular form of the invention wedo not wish to be limited thereto and intend in the appended claims tocover all such changes and modiiications .as fall within the true spiritand scope of the invention.

What we claim `as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. Disiointab-le coupling means lfor -disjointably connecting a pair ofsimilarly constructed coiler cans of substantially the same height, saidcoupling means coniprising a latch support adapted to be mounted on oneof said cans adjacent .the upper rim thereof and having a pair ofvertically spaced apertured support elements, a :latch verticallyslidable through Athe apertures in said support elements and having stopmeans adjacent its ends for respectively engaging said support elements,said latch having a Wide upper part and a narrower lower part, acoupling bracket adapted to be mounted on the other of said cansadjacent the upper rim thereof and having a pair of horizontally spacedinwardly inclined couple forming arms disposed at a level between saidsupport elements of said latch support, the vertical spacing betweensaid support elements being substantially greater than the verticaldimension of said arms, said couple forming a-rms being arranged toenvelope the narrower lower part of said latch when said latch is raisedto its upper position and while said couple forming arms are 'disposedbetween said support elements, said latch being etective to form acoupling between said support elements and said coupling bracket whensaid latch is lowered suiiciently so that its wide upper part isopposite said couple forming arms.

2. Disjointable coupling means for disjointably connecting a pair ofsimilarly constructed coiler cans, said coupling Ameans comprising alatch support adapted to be mounted on one of said `cans and having apair of vertically spaced apertured support elements, a latch verticallyslidable through the apertures in said support elements, said latchhaving a wide upper par-t and a narrower lower part and theconfiguration of said apertures and latch being such as to preventsubstantial relative rotation lbetween said latch and said support meansirrespective of whether the Wide or narrower part of said latch isopposite said support elements, a coupling bracket adapted to -bemounted on the other of said cans and having a pair of horizontallyspaced inwardly inclined couple forming arms disposed at a level betweensaid support elements ot said latch sup por-t, the vertical spacingbetween said support elements being substantially greater than thevertical dimension of said arms, said couple forming arms being arrangedto envelope the narrower lower part of said latch when said latch israised to its upper position and while said couple forming arms aredisposed between said support elements, said latch being effective toform a coupling between said support elements and said coupling bracketwhen said latch is lowered suiciently so that its wide upper part isopposite said couple forming arms and while said couple forming arms aredisposed between said support elements.

3. In combination, a pair of bodily movable coiler cans of comparablesize and shape each having an upper rim, a latch support secured to theupper rim of one of said cans and having a pair of vertically spacedpolygonally apertured support elements, a latch vertically slidablethrough said apertures and having a wide upper part and a narrower lowerpart in a tangential di rection relative to said rim of said one can,said latch having a cross-section in a horizontal plane generallycorresponding to but smaller than the apertures in said support elementswhereby substantial rotation of said latch about its vertical axisrelative to said latch support and its associated can is prevented, acoupling bracket mounted on the upper rim of the other of said cans andhaving a pair lof horizontally spaced inwardly inclined couple formingarms disposed at a level between said support elements of said latchsupport, the inner surfaces of said larms and that part of said bracketadjacent the associated .can rim being configured generally similar tothe cross-sectional coniiguration of said latch, the vertical spacingbetween said support elements being substantially greater than thevertical dimension of said arms, said couple forming arms being arrangedto envelop the narrower lower part ot said latch when said latch israised to its upper position and while said couple forming arms aredisposed between said support elements, said latch being effective toform a coupling between said support elements and said coupling bracketwhen said latch is lowered suiciently so that its wide upper part isopposite said couple forming arms, the similarity in conguration of saidlatch and of said bracket and arms being effective to preventsubstantial rotation of said latch relative -to said bracket and itsassociated can.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,050,816 Deslauriers Jan. 21, 1913 1,099,758 Nichols June 9, 19141,987,826 Heumann Jan. 15, 1935 2,815,855 Fisher Dec. 10, 1957 keinev i

